Kalen Schlatter's DNA found on Tess Richey's clothing, murder trial hears

More than two years after her body was found lying in an outdoor stairwell in Toronto's gay village, the first-degree murder trial of the man accused of killing Tess Richey began Thursday.

Richey, 22, was reported missing in November 2017 after a night out in the Church and Wellesley area. Police say she died of "neck compression."

Investigators later arrested 23-year-old Kalen Schlatter of Toronto. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Schlatter appeared in court wearing a blue suit and a white shirt, and sat at a table with his lawyers. He sat stoically as the charge against him was read aloud.

In her opening address, Assistant Crown Attorney Beverley Richards told the jury this case is about "a young woman who was sexually assaulted and brutally strangled by a man she just met."

"The man who left Tess' body in a heap at the bottom of a stairwell was Kalen Schlatter," Richards said.

Several of Richey's family members wiped away tears in the courtroom as the Crown gave an overview of its case.

Richey was last seen at about 3 a.m. on Nov. 25, 2017, after a night out at the Church Street nightclub Crews and Tangos. She was reported missing by a family member later that day.

Richards told the jury that security camera footage from the night Richey died shows her walking with Schlatter in the area where her body was eventually found.

She also said that DNA testing showed semen and saliva that was found on Richey's clothing was tested and found to be a match for Schlatter "to a statistical certainty."

Court heard that Richey had bruises on her lower arms, as well as on one hand and one wrist. Richards said Richey also had a cut on her forehead — which she alleged were "defensive injuries."

Undercover police officers

The Crown also said that after Schlatter's arrest on Feb. 4, 2018, he was placed in a cell next to two undercover police officers. 

Richards said that Schlatter said a variety of things to those undercover officers, including that he has "slept with over 40 girls," and that "girls beg him to sleep with them because they think he's cute."

"Mr. Schlatter also told police that he likes a challenge and sometimes you have to push the boundaries with women to see where it goes," Richards said.

Court heard that Schlatter told the undercover officers that he wanted privacy with Richey so the two could hook up, so he took her to an alleyway next to a house that was under renovation in the area.

"The undercover officers will testify that Kalen Schlatter told them he wanted to have sex with Tess Richey, but she told him that he couldn't because she was on her period," Richards said. "Kalen Schlatter told the undercover officers he was upset because he wanted to have sex with Tess Richey.

"Kalen Schlatter was upset because Tess Richey told him no."

Richards also said that Schlatter told the undercover officers that he ejaculated in his pants while the two were making out, and as they were "grinding" on each other; that's how his DNA ended up on Richey's pants.

A grieving family

Richey's case garnered widespread attention after her mother, Christine Hermeston, travelled from North Bay, Ont. to search for her daughter.

Hermeston found Richey's body four days after she vanished — in a stairwell at the back of an alley, just steps from where she was last seen. Her body was found the day before what would have been her 23rd birthday.

Police were heavily criticized for their failure to find Richey in the days following her disappearance.

Her death, and several other disappearances connected to the gay village — eight of which resulted in first-degree murder charges against 66-year-old landscaper Bruce McArthur — led community members to say police were not adequately protecting them.

Two officers were charged with misconduct under the Police Services Act in connection with the case. Richey's death was among those that led to Toronto police creating a dedicated missing-persons unit.

Court heard that Richey was raised in North Bay, Ont., and moved to Toronto when she was about 19.

She worked at a hotel in North Bay and as a waitress in Toronto, but Richards told the jury that Richey's dream job was to be a flight attendant and travel the world. Richey had finished the flight attendant course at Seneca College in pursuit of that dream.

Richards told the court that on Nov. 23, 2017, Richey had had an emotional break up with her boyfriend, Julian — so the next day, she wanted to go out and have a few drinks to take her mind off what had happened.

Investigators have said they believe Richey and Schlatter did not know each other before the night of her death.

Schlatter was initially charged with second-degree murder, but the charge was upgraded after police said "new evidence" presented itself.

The trial is expected to last six weeks.

adam.carter@cbc.ca